Warmth
by SaxyGirl
Summary: The Dragonborn is chilled to the bone. It's going to take more than a fire and some blankets to warm her up.


_AN: A short little story inspired by two things. One: my freezing cold office and two: my current enthusiasm for Argis_

_As always, I own nothing. All hail the mighty Bethesda!_

_Also, this has no relation to my other stories. Totally different world,if you will._

_And this is definitely a grown up story. Be warned!_

The wind whipped through the streets, rushing down the alleys and up and down the staircases, pushing its cold fingers through slits in armor and gaps in cloaks. Daynie shivered violently as she clambered up the steps towards Vlindrel Hall, her cloak pulled tight in numb fingers. She had been on her way back from a trip to Solitude and a visit with Jarl Elisif when winter had assaulted her and the rest of the Reach. The snow had fallen quickly, piling up into large drifts that even her horse, one born and bred for Skyrim weather, had a hard time navigating. Thankfully the snow had kept the Forsworn from venturing away from their camps and she had made good time back to Markarth.

Now all she could think about was getting into Vlindrel Hall and curling up in front of a fire. One that Argis would hopefully have already roaring. She closed her eyes and imagined sitting before the fire on the bear skin rug, her front warmed by the heat of the fire and her back warmed by the heat of her Housecarl. She could feel her cheeks reddening at the thought of his large, strong body and inhaled sharply at the warmth that curled in her belly as well.

She was jolted abruptly from her thoughts as she walked directly into the back of a guard. He spun and grabbed her arm before she could fall back down the stairs. "Everything all right?" he asked, eyes blinking at her from behind his helmet. She nodded, barely able to keep from shivering violently. He looked her over and then waved his torch in the direction of the Hall. "Better get going, Dragonborn," he said, "Lest you freeze right here on the steps."

"Th-th-thank you," she stammered out between chattering teeth and continued up the final flight of stairs, grabbing the door to the Hall happily. She pushed on it and squeaked when she discovered it locked. Sighing she reached into her pouch and floundered around until she pulled out her house key. She clenched it tightly, body pressed against the door to help block the wind and keep her standing up as tremors racked her head to toe. She gripped the key with both hands and guided it into the lock, breathing out a sigh of relief when it turned and clicked open.

She shoved on the door, barely remembering to pull her key from the lock as she stumbled inside. She was dismayed to find the house dark with no fire lit. She pushed on the door, not paying any attention if it shut or not and lurched her way into the large room, dropping to her knees in front of the fire place. There were some partially burnt logs inside and she reached out, barely managing to pull a small flame spell to her fingertips. She directed the spell at the logs and was happy when they caught fire.

She curled tight on herself, clutching her cloak around her and ignoring the plush bear skin rug to curl up on the slowly warming stone right in front of the fireplace. As she lay there the only thought on her mind was _Where is Argis?_

_lllllllllllll_

Argis tramped snow off his boots as he climbed the steps back to Vlindrel Hall, a combination of decent ale and his Nord blood keeping the cold from bothering him much. Normally he would not have stayed away from the house for so long, but his Thane had been away at Solitude and was not due to return for a few days yet and he thought a trip to Silver Blood Inn was in order. It had been nice to sit among the patrons, drinking ale and swapping stories while the bard entertained them.

He had ended up leaving when the bard started up with The Dragonborn Comes. The entire inn had started singing along and he'd been forced to leave before he hurt them. It always burned him up to hear others talk about her as if they knew her. As if they knew how strong she was, how deadly she could be. As if they were aware of how compassionate and soft she was as well. Almost unbidden a picture of her rose in his mind, her pale skin flush with victory as she stood over the corpse of a dragon. It was followed quickly by the image of her playing with the children at the Orphanage in Riften and soon after one of her sprawled across Lydia's body, sobbing her eyes out at the loss of her dear friend.

No, those others did not know the Imperial Dragonborn at all. Not like he did and certainly not like he wanted to. He barely paid attention to the path he took as he let his mind wander to all the ways he would like to know his Thane even though he knew it would never happen. It was rumored that several men were interested in her, among them a Companion and at least two Jarls. Surely with those options a Housecarl had no chance.

He froze as he took the last step to the Hall and notice the door slightly ajar. He moved quietly, reaching out to slowly push the door open and peer inside, for once cursing his choice to imbibe so much. He had relaxed, thinking that the house was safe since his Thane was the leader of the Thieves Guild. He belatedly reminded himself that not all thieves were members of the guild.

He took stock of everything in the entrance hall, noting that nothing had been moved or taken and there seemed to be a weak fire burning in the great room. He eased the door closed quietly, wondering what kind of thief broke in but did not take anything and lit a fire. He trod carefully, glad that he had decided not to wear his armor, and moved towards the room.

There was a soft sigh and then a voice that had him practically running the rest of the way. "Arg-g-gis?" his Thane stammered. He found her curled up on the stone fireplace, practically lying in the flames, still wearing her travel gear.

"My Thane?" He dropped down to one knee behind her and reached out carefully to turn her face towards him. He gasped at the feel of her cold skin and then again when he realized that her skin was ashen and her lips starting to turn blue. "Daynie! What happened?" he asked as he ran his hands over her body.

"S-s-s-snowsssstorm," she said. "C-c-c-c-cold."

"Damnit to Oblivion, you weren't due home for a few days, the storm would have blown over! What happened?" he asked as he slid his arms under her and lifted her. Her body was freezing against his and he eased her onto the rug so that he could build up the fire without injuring her.

"W-w-wanted to g-g-get back," she answered.

"I swear to all the Divines if you die because of this I will never forgive you," he muttered as he hastily shoved more logs into the fire place, stoking it carefully until it was roaring.

Behind him she laughed weakly. "M-m-mighty Dragonb-b-born. F-f-f-f-felled by c-c-cold."

He spun and glared at her. "It's not funny, My Thane."

_lllllllllllll_

Daynie blinked up at Argis where he towered over her. Part of her mind realized that the situation wasn't funny that it was instead terrifying, but she wasn't thinking straight right now and most everything seemed funny to her. "Arg-g-g-g," she tried to say, but her teeth clattered so hard it stopped her. Grunting she clenched her teeth and looked up at him. "My feet. I can't feel them," she managed to say.

A worried look painted its way across Argis's face and he knelt before her. "My Thane, I must get you out of these clothes and into something warm. Okay?"

She nodded weakly, her mind so far gone that the prospect of being naked with Argis didn't even phase her. He disappeared and she frowned but he was back within moments, a large stack of blankets and furs with him. He worked efficiently, quickly pulling her cloak off, followed by her boots and gloves. Next off was her armor and then her tunic and breeches leaving her in just her breastband and small clothes. He paused for a heartbeat and then his large hands were maneuvering her like she was a doll, pulling the material off and tossing it to the side.

He grabbed a small blanket and rubbed her down quickly; pulling away any cold moisture that still clung to her skin. He then took a larger blanket and wrapped it around her, nearly swaddling her like a babe. "Don't move," he ordered. "I will be right back."

She nodded again and cuddled down into the blanket, realizing that some of the warmth was returning to her skin. She was still shivering when he returned a few minutes later, having changed into dry clothes. He reached out and pressed his hand to her cheeks. Whatever he felt must have displeased him because he grunted and then sat down behind her. "My apologies, My Thane," he murmured as he picked her up and settled her into his lap, moving so that they were close to the fire. "I believe that if I share my body heat with you, you will warm faster."

He reached over and pulled another blanket from the pile, wrapping it around her over his lap and then pulled a third that he wrapped over his back and around them both. She sighed happily and leaned against him, nuzzling her nose into his neck. He made a noise and she jolted, only to be held still by his hands. "Your nose is cold," he muttered and she huffed out a small giggle.

He shifted her against him until she was curled in his lap, her head on his shoulder and her face tucked into his neck. She inhaled deeply as the warmth of the fire and his body surrounded her. One of his hands found one of her feet and he began to rub it, bringing the life back to it.

_lllllllllllll_

Argis was not sure how long they sat there; Daynie curled in his lap while he rubbed her feet, pulling warmth back into them. He eventually realized that her shivering had stopped and her breathing had evened out. He moved her carefully and saw that she was asleep.

He contemplated tucking her into bed but knew that if he did he would no longer have a reason to hold her. He shifted and released the foot he had been stroking, he could admit to himself he'd stopped rubbing it long ago, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him and allowing his nose to drop into her hair where he inhaled deeply. His eyes closed and he took the moment of peace, enjoying the feeling of her being so close to him, relishing in her trust of him.

It stabbed at his heart to know that this might be the only time he would ever get to hold her like this. That his detached undressing of her would probably be the only time he would ever see her glorious body on display. He had been careful to keep it fast and to keep from touching her much, but he had not stopped his eyes from drinking in the sight of her. He could see her behind his eyelids, only this time he was undressing her slowly, finger running against her skin to tease, brushing against dusky nipples and down to the tight thatch of curls between her legs.

He barely stopped himself from groaning aloud and blinked his eyes open, straightening up rapidly and cutting off his train of thought. The movement jostled her and she made a soft noise and then he felt her mouth open in a yawn against his shoulder. "Argis?" Her voice was quiet, husky with sleep and confusion and he swallowed.

"My Thane?" he asked.

"You are so warm," she sighed.

He grinned slightly. "It's the Nord blood."

She hummed softly and snuggled against him, rubbing her nose slightly against his neck. "I was worried you know," she murmured.

"Oh?" he asked quietly, absently running one of his hands against her back.

He felt her nod. "You weren't home. I was worried you had left." She squirmed around in his lap and then one of her hands traced across his chest to rest over his heart.

He squeezed her briefly. "I will never leave you," he vowed softly.

He felt her lips twist into a smile and her hand clutched at his shirt. "Good," she said and then sleep claimed her again.

_lllllllllllll_

Daynie woke slowly, surrounded by a warmth she hadn't felt since she left southern Cyrodiil years ago. Something about the situation was different, new, but she pushed the thought away and instead continued to enjoy the heat. Ever since journeying to Skyrim three years ago she had peen persistently plagued by cold.

It was a running joke amongst the Inner Circle of the Companions that she was the only werewolf on Nirn who got cold. Brynjolf, and a handful of other thieves, had offered more than a few times to 'warm her up' but she had politely declined, and a few times, not-so-politely declined. The mages at Winterhold thought it was just a sign of her heritage and where she was raised.

She hummed out a sigh of contentment and suddenly the warmth shifted. She froze, brain working through the fog of sleep to take in her surroundings. She belated realized that she was being held, cuddled close to a blazingly warm chest. She could hear a heartbeat under her ear and her hand was clutched against the cloth of a linen tunic. There were arms wrapped tightly around her and one hand was absently rubbing her back.

She thought back, trying to pull up the last thing she remembered. All she could come up with was being in Solitude with Jarl Elisif. She inhaled deeply and was met with the familiar scent of sweat and leather that seemed to always surround her favorite Housecarl. "Argis?" she asked quietly.

The warmth shifted again and the hand at her back stilled. "Aye, my Thane?" His voice was soft and stirred the wisps of hair against her forehead.

She shifted slightly and became aware of several things at once. First, she was in Argis's lap. Second, she was wrapped in a blanket, but under the blanket she was completely naked. Third, Argis had apparently been enjoying the cuddling, if the bulge pressing against her hip was any indication. She shifted again and his arms tightened minutely and his breath caught for a second but otherwise he didn't move. "Are we in Markarth?" she asked.

His body stiffened and he wrapped his hands around her upper arms through the blanket and shifted her back so he could look at her face. "Aye, we are, my Thane. Do you not remember your journey from Solitude?" She shook her head and a worried look crossed his face. He brought one hand up and pressed it against her cheeks and forehead and she felt herself flush.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I am not sure when you returned exactly. I was out taking care of some things and when I arrived here you were curled up in front of a weak fire." He motioned absently towards the still roaring flames and she was amused to discover that his body gave off more heat than the fire did. "You were shivering so hard I could see it and your skin." He ran gentle fingers down her cheek as he spoke. "Your skin was white and your lips." His thumb slid lightly over her bottom lip and her breath caught. "They were blue, my Thane. You said you had been caught in a snowstorm on your way here." His hand fell from her face and she furrowed her brow.

_lllllllllllll_

Argis watched Daynie's face closely as she processed what he was saying. It was obvious to him that she didn't remember any of her trip or of him tending to her after he found her. He wondered if she realized yet that she was bare underneath the blanket. She stared at some point over his shoulder as she thought, chewing absently on her lower lip and he desperately wanted to press his lips to hers and find out if that lip tasted as good as it looked.

He'd spent the last few hours holding her as she slept, mind whirling unchecked through countless fantasies of what he could do to her once she awoke. He hadn't planned on her waking up so soon and the evidence of his wandering thoughts was pressing insistently against his pants and into her hip. He worried that she had felt it when she moved but she had not said or done anything to indicate her noticing it.

"I don't remember any of it," she said, worry coloring her tone. Her eyes moved from whatever she'd been look at to his face. "Is that why I'm naked under these blankets?" she asked, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

He looked away, eyes staring into the fire. "Aye, my Thane," he said. "Your clothes were wet from the snow and you needed to be dry to warm properly. I swear to all the Divines I took no liberties," he added.

She chuckled lightly and he looked down at her. "Argis, I would never suspect you of 'taking liberties'," she said. "I trust you." Warmth curled around his heart at the words and he found himself grinning at her. "And I thank you. I suspect that without your intervention, I may have died."

His arms tightened on reflex and he swallowed hard at the thought of her lying dead and cold. "Not while I am around," he growled and she smiled sweetly at him and then to his surprise leaned forward and rested her head against his shoulder again.

"Divines you are _so warm_," she sighed happily. "If I had known how warm you are we would have been sharing a bed ages ago." He felt her stiffen in his arms and she pulled up, eyes wide. "I mean, that's not what I meant!" she said quickly. "It's just, I'm always so cold. I have been ever since I came to Skyrim. This is the first time that I've been really and truly warm since I got here and I just meant you could have kept me warm." Her cheeks were flushing red and her words starting to tumble over each other as she talked faster. "I mean like, by sleeping together. Er, not _sleeping_ together, but sharing a bed. Platonically. Not, not um, not intimately." He must have had an odd look on his face because she rushed forward. "Not that we couldn't share one intimately," she added. "Just, I'm sure I'm not your type and really, what basis is _warmth_ to build a relationship on anyway? I, oh Divines somebody shut me up now before I make this any wor-"

Argis obliged before he could stop himself, craning his neck down to press his lips against hers, effectively cutting her off mid-rant.

_lllllllllllll_

Daynie froze at the feel of his lips slanting against hers, unsure if it was really happening. The whole thing seemed a bit surreal to her and she absently wondered if she was going to wake up still in Solitude and discover this all a dream. The pressure was gone almost as quickly as it started and she blinked up at him. He was looking at her warily, as if expecting her to either hurt him or run from him.

"Argis?" she questioned.

"You asked somebody to shut you up. It seemed like the appropriate thing to do," he explained with a shrug of one shoulder.

She chuckled, not sure how to respond. She adjusted her position, again feeling the push of his erection against her hip. Heat flared in her abdomen and she looked up at him through lowered lids. His jaw was tight, teeth obviously clenched and he held himself stiffly as she squirmed against him. With one hand she clutched at the blanket wrapped around her and the other she slid against his chest and up to his shoulder. "Argis," she murmured.

"Aye, my Thane?" he responded, voice low and husky.

"I would really like to show you my gratitude for saving my life and warming me up," she stated. He didn't say anything, simply raised an eyebrow in response. Her hand continued its trek across his shoulder and up around behind his neck where it tangled lightly in his hair. "May I?" she asked. His breathing had sped up slightly and his pupils were huge, his eyes darkening around them. He nodded once and she smiled, leaning forward to brush her lips against his.

He didn't respond at first, not until she increased the pressure of her mouth on his. He kissed her back tentatively, lips almost hesitant in their exploration of her. She inhaled sharply and then released the blanket, allowing it fall away from her upper body as she wrapped her other arm around his shoulder and pulled herself tight against him.

He groaned and his tongue slid from his mouth to press against hers and she opened willingly, hers sliding out to meet his as they explored each other. His hands moved away from her back enough to let the blanket fall away and then they were against her flesh, calloused skin leaving trails of heat everywhere they touched.

She shifted, pulling her legs up and turning against him so that she was kneeling in his lap. He moved his legs, spreading them so that hers were on the floor and she shifted, working the blanket down away from her lower body. She broke away with a disappointed moan and reached down, pushing the outer blankets away and then yanking the one that was wrapped around her.

She grunted when it got stuck around her legs and he laughed, reaching over to help her untangle herself. Once it was gone she faced him, still kneeling, completely bare.

_lllllllllllll_

Argis swallowed hard at the sight of her before him. Her pale skin shone in the firelight, spotted here and there with freckles and small scars. One large scar cut across her lower abdomen and his fingers pressed against it. "Ulfric," she supplied as a response and he growled low in his throat. The former Jarl of Windhelm had pursued Daynie fervently after it came out that she was Dragonborn. It had been his unwanted advances that ultimately drove her to side with the Empire in the civil war.

Argis had been in the Palace of Kings during the final battle. He'd seen the way Ulfric looked at her even as they fought. He'd heard the words the would-be king had whispered to her as his sword found a weak point in her armor, sliding deep into her gut. Smirking as he told her that if he couldn't have her, then nobody could, for even if she survived the wound, nobody would want her now, unable to bear children.

Argis had stepped forward, his large sword coming down and separating the man's head from his shoulders. He'd shoved the body aside and swept up his Thane, carrying her from the keep and to the nearest healer. She had survived the wound and proven Ulfric wrong. Even unable to bear children there were still several men who wanted her. She hadn't seemed to notice any of them, instead continuing her single life of adventuring, dragging along her Housecarl of choice from one random cave and abandoned fort to the next.

He shook his head, pulling himself from his thoughts and slipping his fingers across the soft skin that swelled at her stomach and around to her hip. He pulled her closer, his eyes meeting hers before he bent forward, lips pulling at one of her rosy nipples.

Her hands twisted into his hair and she moaned as he laved first one, then the other nipple. One hand slid against her back to help her balance and the other found her ass, squeezing it as he worshiped her breasts. "Argis!" she groaned when he nibbled at the skin. He pulled away with a grin and then pressed his lips against hers, tongue sliding deep into her mouth.

He carefully maneuvered, rising to his knees and then bending forward, pushing her back into the plush fur of the bear rug. She broke the kiss with a gasp and he took the opportunity to trace his lips down her neck and across her chest towards her stomach. "I thought," she started, breath hitching when he dipped his tongue into her navel. "I thought _I_ was thanking _you_," she gasped out.

His hands slid up her legs and to the inside of her thighs where he pushed gently until she spread them open. He guided her legs until she was exposed to him completely and he groaned at the sight of her wet slit. His leaned down and inhaled deeply before pressing a kiss to her lower abdomen, right above the thatch of curly hair. "You are," he rumbled. "Letting me do this, is thanks enough," he added and then he flicked his tongue against that little nub that women enjoyed so much and she cried out, hand scrambling for purchase across the fur beneath her.

He felt the muscles in her legs clench as he moved lower, his tongue seeking and finding her entrance. He kept his hands on them, holding them in place and keeping her open to his questing mouth. She was panting above him and he looked up her body. She was gorgeous, head thrown back and neck exposed, breasts heaving as she gasped and choked out beautiful noises of pleasure. She shifted and he saw her biting down on her lip, holding in her moans.

He pulled away slightly and leaned up, his mouth pressing against hers and sucking her tortured bottom lip between his. He ran his tongue over it and then pulled away. "No need to be quiet, Love," he whispered. "Nobody to hear you but me, and I _want_ to hear you." He kissed her again sharply and then moved back down between her legs.

_lllllllllllll_

Daynie cried out when his tongue again brushed against her, sliding over her core before moving down to press into her. Her back arched and one hand slid down, clutching at his hair while the other curled tight into the fur next to her head, supporting her as she bent again, pushing closer to his mouth.

Her tongue ran over her lips and she tasted herself, remnants of fluid left from when he had kissed her and asked her to not sensor her noises. She moaned when he released one leg and slipped a finger inside her, relishing the way he made her feel. Her mind went briefly to the few men she'd lain with before, ones who were worried more about their own pleasure and less about hers; ones who wanted her to be a good, quiet little woman. His finger bent inside her and thoughts of everything but Argis fled her mind.

His lips latched to the nub above her slit and he suckled lightly as he slid another finger inside her, both of them rotating and shifting, swiping against the sensitive flesh. She inhaled sharply as tension curled in her belly, frustrating and beautiful at the same time. "Please," she panted, eyes squeezing shut as he sucked harder, fingers aggressively pumping into her. She cried out her frustration, twisting beneath his mouth and fingers.

He moved, lips leaving her and his thumb taking their place, rubbing in tight circles around the bud. He stretched out next to her and she opened her eyes to look up at him, mortified at the feel of tears leaking from them. His fingers continued moving inside her, never stopping as he brought his other hand up to cradle her head, thumb rubbing at the tears on her cheeks. "Let go, Love," he whispered quietly, kissing her lightly. "I've got you."

"Argis," she breathed and he bent his head down, forehead pressed against hers.

"I've got you," he said again and then it happened, the tension in her abdomen snapped and rolled through her in pulsing waves. She cried out, one hand curling into the fur beneath her and the other coming up to wrap against his back, clutching at the shirt he still wore. She convulsed around him, eyes squeezed shut as pleasure darted through her like lightning.

She panted as she came down, relaxing back against the fur and opening her eyes to look up at his face. He was smiling slightly and he leaned forward, lips meeting hers in a languid kiss. His fingers were still inside her, petting carefully and his thumb was rubbing gently next to her core.

"Daynie," he breathed against her lips as he pulled away from her. "Have you ever?" His eyes were uncertain and she smiled, reaching up to one hand through his hair.

"Lain with a man?" she finished. At his nod she smiled gently. "Aye, I have. But I have never felt pleasure like that before," she added.

He frowned and his fingers stilled inside her. The hand cradling her head shifted and he pushed some of the hair from her forehead. "Then they were remiss in their handling of you," he declared.

She moved her hands across his back, pulling at the tunic until she felt bare skin. "I'm glad," she murmured. "Because now you can show me how I should be handled."

The grin that crossed his lips was wickedly sexy and she felt heat furl in her belly again. "Yes," he agreed. "Yes I can." He rose onto his knees and she watched avidly as he pulled the tunic from his body, revealing his toned chest. Hair dusted across it, interspersed with scars and she reached out, running her hand along his abdomen, directly above his pants. Her fingers shifted down to the ties on them and she looked up at him.

_lllllllllllll_

Argis swallowed hard at the look of pure want he saw reflected in her face and reached out to grab her wrist before she could undo his pants. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

"Argis, if I wasn't sure I would have stopped you ages ago," she retorted with a small grin. He smiled back and released her hand, allowing her to tug the laces loose. She rolled onto her side and pushed up onto one elbow, tongue poking out of her mouth adorably as she pushed the pants down over his hips. His erection jutted out from between his legs and he saw her breath catch.

"Daynie?" he questioned. She didn't answer, instead threw him a wicked smile and then leaned forward, her lips wrapping around the head of his cock. He inhaled sharply, hands flying to her shoulders to ease her back. She shot him a look and he grinned. "Keep that up Love, and I won't last," he said.

"I told you," she retorted, "I'm supposed to be thanking you." He shifted, kicking his pants the rest of the way off his legs and then he moved towards her, crawling over her body until she was lying beneath him.

He slid one leg between hers and she obligingly opened them and he settled between them, his cock brushing against her opening. "I can think of nothing better than burying myself inside you," he whispered. She inhaled sharply and her pupils flared and he smirked. "Other forms of gratitude can be expressed later," he added.

She chuckled and then her legs were around his hips, guiding him towards her. "If you insist," she murmured. "Just," she stopped and a look of worry flashed across her face. "I haven't done this since I left Cyrodiil," she admitted. "Can we go slow at first?"

He swallowed at the thought that she hadn't lain with a man since coming to Skyrim. He had seen the way that Companion looked at her and thought for sure that they had been together. She shifted beneath him and his eyes met hers and he smiled. "Anything you want," he responded. He eased the tip inside her and she inhaled, legs clenching around him. One of his hands found her thigh and he massaged it, loosening the muscle. "You have to relax, or I'll never get in there, Love," he teased.

"Do you mean it?" she whispered, eyes darting up to his.

He didn't have to ask what she meant; instead he bent down, lips finding hers in a deep kiss. When he pulled away he pressed his forehead to hers. "With all my life," he answered.

She made a sound in her throat and then her legs shifted, heels digging into his ass and pulling him inside her. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to ease his way into her fully, instead of pounding into her like his body was demanding. "Divines you feel amazing," he whispered.

"You're not so bad yourself," she replied with a light chuckle. She twisted her hips beneath him and he groaned, head dropping to her shoulder. "Argis?" she asked.

"Please, please tell me I can move now?" he muttered against her skin.

"Yes please," she quipped and he smiled, tongue sliding up to her neck as he pulled out almost completely, only to slide back in just as slowly as before. He kept up the slow pace, his hands moving over her sweat slicked skin, plucking at her nipples, pulling at her hips. She returned the favor, fingernails raking into his back as he went deeper and deeper into her. He rose above her, one hand braced on the floor.

"You are gorgeous," he breathed out. Her body glistened in the firelight, glinting off the sweat that dripped from her body. Her eyes opened and she looked up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. He thrust deeply within her and then rotated his hips, pulling a long groan from her.

He shifted, one hand sliding under her back and the other to her hip as he moved her, arching her body and driving him impossibly deeper inside her.

_lllllllllllll_

Daynie stretched her arms above her and pushed her hips against his. "Please Argis?" she gasped out.

"Please what?" he asked, his mouth skimming against her neck again.

"Fuck me?" she replied.

"Is that an order, my Thane?" he responded.

She clenched around him and he groaned, pressing his face against her shoulder. "You damn well bet it is," she hissed out and he chuckled before pulling back and driving into her, earning a startled squeak.

He sped up, his hips snapping against her, the sound of flesh on flesh mingling with his moans and her cries. She hitched her legs up higher against his waist and he shifted, pulling one leg over his shoulder while the other wrapped around his back, her heel digging into him. He braced his hands next to her head, his forehead barely brushing against hers. She slid her hands across his shoulders and one into his hair, pulling him down into a sloppy kiss.

"Faster," she breathed against his mouth and he groaned, pounding into her. She gasped and her fingers clutched at him as she felt the tension building again. "Please, Argis," she begged. "I'm so close."

He adjusted his weight and one hand moved between their bodies, his fingers slipping over sweat slick flesh to press against her nub. She cried out as her orgasm broke over her, stronger than the last one. Her body clenched at him, pulling him even deeper and he grunted, hips jerking as she felt him spill himself deep inside her.

His hand slid from between their bodies and he braced himself on his elbows above her as he gasped for breath. Beneath him she fared little better, sucking air into her lungs in an attempt to calm herself. Her heart was pounding hard enough it felt like it might burst out of her skin.

She shifted her leg against his shoulder and he moved his arm, allowing her to drop it weakly to the ground. He carefully eased out of her and she whined at the feeling of emptiness that followed. "Are you alright, my Thane?" he asked, fingers teasing through her tangled hair.

She smiled weakly and opened her eyes to look up at him. "Don't you think we've moved a bit beyond the 'Thane' and 'Housecarl' relationship?" she questioned.

He tried to shrug but it came across oddly. "Have we?" he asked quietly. She frowned and squirmed beneath him until his eyes met hers and she was surprised to see the worry and slight fear in them.

"Argis," she sighed. "You called me 'Love'. I think that moves us beyond it."

"Possibly," he replied, eyes cutting away from hers.

She reached up, hand tracing over his face, her thumb rubbing absently against the ink of his tattoo. "Would it help if I called you 'Love' also?" she whispered.

He gave her a startled look and she smiled slightly. "It wouldn't hurt," he admitted gruffly. She rolled her eyes and arched up, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Argis, why do you think I take you with me on most of my quests?" she asked quietly.

_lllllllllllll_

Argis contemplated her question and then sighed. "To be an adequate meat shield?" he replied, using the term her thief friend had called him once.

She frowned and shook her head. "Brynjolf is an idiot," she muttered. "And so are you if you believe that." He raised an eyebrow and she grinned. "It's because I want to be around you Argis. I had no idea you felt anything for me beyond as a Thane. I knew that even if I couldn't have you the way I wanted you, well I could at least have you near me."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Then why risk your life going to Solitude alone?" he asked.

She chuckled. "Honestly? Because Jarl Elisif finds you attractive and I didn't want to give her any opportunity to have you."

He grinned and bent down, face nuzzling into her neck. "You were jealous?" he questioned.

"Maybe a little," she admitted.

He laughed into her shoulder. "You've no reason to be jealous. She's not half the woman you are," he replied. He pushed himself up again and looked at her. "Where does that leave us?" he asked.

She chewed on her lip and then sighed. "Well you certainly can't be my Housecarl anymore," she said and his heart stopped. For a moment he thought she was going to send him away but then she grinned and wrapped her legs around his where they were still stretched between hers. "So how about you be my husband?" she asked.

"Do you mean it?" he questioned.

She grinned softly and reached up to cup his face with one hand. "I can go the Amulet of Mara I got to wear for you if you don't believe me," she replied.

"That's not necessary," he murmured bending down to kiss her lightly. "I would be honored to be your husband," he whispered against her lips.

"Even though I can't have children?" she asked quietly, drawing away from him slightly.

He frowned and shifted, moving his legs to either side of hers so that he could rise to his knees. He slid over and sat on the rug before he reached out and scooped her up, again tucking her onto his lap as he had done so many hours earlier. "If we want children, we will adopt," he declared finally, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I love you, Daynie, just as you are."

She turned in his grasp and placed a kiss on his neck. "And I love you as well," she stated.

"Though I am just a Housecarl and not a Jarl or Companion?" he questioned.

She giggled and leaned back, her eyes shining with love as she looked up at him. "You are much more to me than 'just a Housecarl', Argis. You always have been."

_lllllllllllll_

Daynie squeaked when Argis grunted and squeezed her. "You mean we could have been doing this three years ago?" he asked incredulously.

She laughed and leaned away from him slightly. "I guess so, yes. If either of us had been brave enough to do anything about it."

He frowned again and then a look of determination came across his features and he dipped his head down to pull one of her nipples into his mouth. She groaned and her fingers clutched at his shoulders. "What are you doing?" she panted as heat skipped through her body to pool again in her abdomen.

"We have three years of lost time to catch up on," he answered as he switched from one breast to the other.

"And you intend to start now?" she gasped.

She felt his lips curl into a smile around her nipple. "I do," he answered, voice low and husky. The timbre of his voice sent a shudder through her and he stopped and pulled away, a look of concern on his face. "Are you cold my Thane?" he asked, reaching up to press a hand against her cheeks.

"No Argis. I'm pretty sure that as long as I'm with you, I'll never be cold again," she replied.

He grinned and pulled her flush against him, their mouths just centimeters apart. "Good," he said and then his lips were on hers again. He shifted her in his arms and rose, carrying her into the bedroom.

"Argis," she laughed as he dropped her on the bed, "We have all our lives to catch up."

"Yes but, why not get started right away?" he asked, climbing up after her.

"You do make a good point," she responded. "But we need to figure out plans. Go to Riften to arrange things."

"All things we can do _later_," he growled. "Right now, I intend to let you finish _thanking _me for saving your life."

She inhaled sharply when she felt his burgeoning erection nudging at her thigh. A slow grin curled her lips and she opened her legs so that he could settle between them. "For some reason, I think this is going to be the most enjoyable show of gratitude I've ever experienced."

Argis chuckled and bent to kiss her lips, determined to prove to her just how right she was.

And prove it to her he did.


End file.
